Harrington: Electronic Voting Could Help TM Turnout

Switching to electronic voting at town meeting "could help our attendance," Town Moderator Joe Harrington has told selectmen.

Selectmen have established an ad hoc committee to study whether voting electronically at town meeting makes sense for Westborough, and to report back to the board.

The committee will consist of five to seven members: Harrington, Selectman Denny Drewry, Town Clerk Nancy Yendriga, an advisory finance committee member, with one-to-three at-large members whom Harrington will recommend to selectmen.

Last month, the board agreed to form a group to explore trying electronic voting at the October town meeting.

This spring, Barrette, Drewry, Yendriga and Advisory Finance Committee Chairman Edward Behn attended Wayland’s town meeting, which uses an electronic voting system.

Harrington said that "we're part of a trend. I'm hearing from a number of other towns" that, too, are "following up on Wayland's lead."

And with electronic voting, "voting would be anonymous," Harrington said.

The moderator said he envisioned the town would "try to get a deal" to try the vendor's produvct for free, and it "might not be the whole meeting," possibly "the center section of the ground floor."

Barrette said Wayland negotiated a free trial.

"I don't think it's unreasonable at all to ask for a freebie, especially this situation. I love the idea (and) hate the cost," he said.